Dear Jesus,
I pray my children, Samuel, Jonathan, Benjamin and Ginny would be like You and they would increase in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man.
In Your name I pray, Amen.

That's a prayer I've prayed so many times since my 12 year old was a preschooler. When I taught a little preschool class I memorized a Bible verse found in Luke. It's really the essence of what I would like my children to be. The verse is found at the end of the second chapter of Luke which tells the most complete description of Jesus childhood. It was written by a person with a talent for details. His name as implied was Luke and he was a physician. The verse can be broken down into four parts. It says, Jesus increased in
1. wisdom
2. stature
3. in favor with God
4. in favor with man

In other words, as a child Jesus grew in wisdom -- mentally, stature -- physically, health-wise; in favor with God -- spiritually, and in favor with man -- socially. As a parent I want my children to be like Jesus. In fact, I need to be more like Him too and so does my husband. But whenever I want to say a serious prayer that's quick and to the point turning the verse of Luke 2:52 into a prayer is the best way I know!

I have also figured out a way to practically apply this verse in training my children. At night before they go to bed we read a passage from Matthew, Mark, Luke or John that all tell about Jesus' life on earth. It takes about 5 minutes and I use the One Year Bible (New Living Translation). This Bible is organized into daily readings so you could read it in a year. It is written so it can be easily understood. For instance, today I went to May 1st and read from John 1:29-51. Here's some exciting info to know, if you wanted to, you could read the entire Bible through by reading it for just 15 minutes a day! After we read from John, I then read from the Beginner's Bible by Karyn Henley. I want my children to know the details of Bible stories and in this book they are told in a simplistic manner. The last thing I do with my children before bedtime is say a prayer for their day tomorrow. I usually start it with Luke 2:52.

It's been about eight years since I started praying that verse for my children. I know my children will do great things in life because God has stored up and remembers all those times I've asked Him to help my children to become like Jesus from the verse of Luke 2:52.